Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN) offer the potential for unlimited flexibility: the ability to provide any capability via a network to any device, anytime, anywhere, and in near-real time. Intelligent partitioning is critical to supporting that flexibility while still insuring service level requirements are met in a cost efficient and risk adverse manner. For example, virtualization can be used to create separate failure zones. In addition, through the use of geo-location and affinity/anti-affinity rules one can not only recreate a three-plane virtual separation model but create entirely new partitions which can be designed to further enhance service reliability.